Children's Museums

Fort Miles Museum

Name: Fort Miles Museum
Address: Post Ln, Lewes, DE 19958, Lewes, DE, US
Telephone: (302) 644-5007
Rating: 4.7

★★★★☆ 4.7 (101 reviews)

📍 Post Ln, Lewes, DE 19958

📞 (302) 644-5007

🌐 www.destateparks.com/park/fort-miles

Visit Website 📍 Get Directions

🕐 Hours

Monday	Closed
Tuesday	Closed
Wednesday	10 AM–4 PM
Thursday	10 AM–4 PM
Friday	10 AM–4 PM
Saturday	10 AM–4 PM
Sunday	Closed

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About Fort Miles Museum

Fort Miles Museum is a children's museum in Lewes, DE. Battery 519 is a 15,000-square-foot fortified underground bunker that serves as the museum's centerpiece, offering guided tours multiple times daily. Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars by 101 visitors.

Quick Facts

Type: Natural History Museum
Location: Rolling sand dunes overlooking Atlantic Ocean
Main Attraction: Battery 519 underground bunker and WWII/Cold War history exhibits
Best For: All ages interested in military history

💡 Did You Know?

⭐Battery 519 is a 15,000-square-foot fortified underground bunker that serves as the museum's centerpiece, offering guided tours multiple times daily
⭐The Fort Miles Artillery Park features a 16-inch cannon from the USS Missouri, one of the largest naval guns on display
⭐The museum houses an artifact from the USS Arizona, connecting visitors to one of America's most significant WWII historical sites
⭐Fort Miles Museum offers free admission with optional $6 guided tours, making it an accessible educational resource
⭐The museum operates year-round with expanded summer hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day) and features nighttime Lantern Tours for immersive historical experiences

💬 What Visitors Say

💬Fort Miles Museum is completely free to enter, but budget $6 for an optional guided tour of Battery 519 (lasts about 1 hour) and $10 for Cape Henlopen State Park entry fee if you're visiting from out of town. Register guided tours online in advance.
💡Choose the smaller parking area to walk through the base barracks before reaching the museum, giving you a more immersive tour of the entire fort. The larger parking area is more direct but skips this valuable context.
💬Start with the Battery 519 underground bunker museum exhibit first—it's the centerpiece attraction featuring WWII artifacts including a relic from the USS Arizona. Then explore the Artillery Park and barracks buildings for a complete historical narrative.
💬Plan to spend at least 2-3 hours if taking a guided tour, or 1.5 hours for self-guided exploration of exhibits, barracks, and artillery displays. Visit during expanded summer hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day) for the full experience with all exhibits accessible.
💡Don't miss the Artillery Park's large guns on display, including a 16-inch gun from the USS Missouri—these outdoor exhibits show how close enemy forces came to Delaware shores during WWII and are unique to this location.